"Stories like hers, as well as Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, prompted California's Jewish lawmakers to make countering antisemitism in schools their top priority this year. They sought to create a list of words and ideas that could not be mentioned in classrooms, including heavily disputed claims about Israel. The effort sparked the biggest, most emotional legislative fight of the year: Should the government regulate what can be taught in schools? If so, how far should it go?"
"At issue was Assembly Bill 715, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law this month after it went through multiple major, sometimes last-minute rewrites during months of political tussling. Champions have argued the law will protect Jewish students from rising bullying and discrimination, sometimes from teachers. While the state does not collect data on antisemitism in schools, reports of anti-Jewish bias statewide have doubled between 2021 and"
Emotional fights erupted over an attempt to counter antisemitism in schools by restricting classroom speech, exposing a political quagmire for California Democrats. Jewish lawmakers pushed to make countering antisemitism in schools a top priority after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack and reports of swastika vandalism at schools. They sought a list of words and ideas that could not be mentioned in classrooms, including disputed claims about Israel. The measure, Assembly Bill 715, underwent multiple major and last-minute rewrites amid intense political tussling. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 715 into law, with supporters arguing it will protect Jewish students from bullying and discrimination. State data on antisemitism in schools is limited, but reports of anti-Jewish bias have reportedly doubled since 2021.
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